NEW DELHI, May 23: The Delhi High Court today dismissed a public interest litigation alleging inefficiency on the part of government to decide grant of patents resulting in piling of thousands of applications at various places.

A division bench comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice D K Jain while dismissing the petition by Dr B L Wadhera told him that ``let the individuals aggrieved by the delay approach the court''.

The bench said it would not be proper to entertain such a petition in public interest. At this point, Dr Wadhera requested the court for withdrawal of the petition, which was granted.

The petitioner said with the opening of the economy, the number of patent applications pending before the controller of patents have increased substantially and in 1996 alone over 7,000 patent applications were filed in the Indian patent offices at Delhi, Calcutta, Madras and Mumbai.

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